'Eyesore' mobile phone mast plan next to football ground thrown out by planners
Plans for an “eyesore” mobile phone mast next to an east Leeds football ground have been blocked by the council.
A 25-metre telecoms tower was planned for East End Park Working Men’s Club AFC at Skelton Road.
Mobile firms EE UK and Hutchinson 3G sought permission for the scheme, saying it was needed as another mast nearby was set to be removed.
A report by the applicant said: “The new tower will improve mobile network capacity and coverage, enhancing the quality of service to residents, businesses and visitors in the surrounding area.”
A Leeds City Council report said the tower would be twice as high as nearby buildings and “unduly dominant”.
It said: “The site relates to an area of maintained grassland to the southern side of the football pitch.
“The development is for a 25m high mast and associated equipment cabinets.”
Two public letters of objection were received against the scheme, which would see the building of a lattice tower with six antenna.
One said the structure was too high and would be “visually an eyesore in a residential area.”
Some of the concerns were raised were outside the scope of the council’s planning assessment, the report said.
It said: “The letters of representation received reference other concerns about the proposal aside from visual, siting and health related impacts including its effects to property values.”
The project was also opposed by ward councillors Luke Farley, Nkele Manaka and Asghar Khan, who feared the impact on future use of the sports field.
A prior approval planning application for the scheme was refused.